Audience who don’t know Music! (Post No.4446)

Pictures shown here are taken from various sources such as Facebook friends, Books, Google and newspapers; thanks.

Instrumentalists Anecdotes -3 (In the past two days I have posted many instrumentalists’ anecdotes)

PIANISTS DON’T FEEL HOT!

There is a legend which would have it that, when Jascha Heifetz made his triumphant New York debut among the audience were other violinist Mischa Elman and the distinguished pianist Josef Hofmann. The hall was crowded and it was an evening in spring. The concert progressed and the audience was spellbound by the genius of Heifetz. As the music went on, Elman became increasingly nervous and fidgety, running his finger frequently around the inside of his collar and mopping at his forehead with a hand kerchief. In the pause between two selections, he leaned over and whispered to Hofmann

“Awfully hot in here, isn’t it?”

Hofmann smiled and whispered back, “Not for pianists”.

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Audience who don’t know music!

Mischa Elman, the violinist, takes delight in telling the following story,

While visiting the friend of a family I was asked to play something to the assembled group of people. For an urchin of seven, as I was at that time, I flatter myself I rattled off Kreutzer Sonata of Beethoven’s finely. The sonata has in it several long and impressive rests. In one of these rests a motherly old lady leaned forward, patted my shoulder and said,

“Please try something you know, dear “

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I Don’t Care!

Jascha Heifetz arrived in great haste at Radio city, perilously near being late for a radio concert with the NBC Symphony Orchestra. He hastened into the elevator carrying his violin in its case.

“You will have to go in the freight elevator with that”, said the operator.

“I have no time, said Heifetz, I am in a hurry”.

“I don’t care”,said the operator.

“All musicians with instrument s have got to ride in freight elevator”.

“Look ,said the exasperated musician, I am Jascha Heifetz”.

“I don’t care if you are Rubinoff, said the operator, you have got to ride in the freight elevator”.

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MUSICAL CATARACTS IN NORWAY

Ole Bull, celebrated 18th century Norwegian violinist, was a man of singular and beautiful simplicity of character. He spoke English with much expression and had quaint turn s of dialect as original as they were unstudied. He was describing the grandeur of the hills and fiords of his native land and its deep forests resounding with musical cataracts when someone exclaimed,